Palin-Biden debate chat and commentary!
posted at 8:00 pm on October 2, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Tonight, Sarah Palin and Joe Biden square off at 9 pm ET for the only Vice Presidential debate for this election. Palin needs to convince American voters that she is up to the task of the second-highest position in the executive branch, while Biden has to avoid making any major gaffes that will force the national media to report them.
Can she do it? The Examiner’s Mark Tapscott predicts that Palin will prevail:
Call me a cockeyed optimist or a fool or whatever, but I predict Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will be the clear winner over Sen. Joe Biden in tonight’s debate between the vice-presidential nominees. Not because I think she’s a master debater – though she clearly has been underestimated in this department before – but because she possesses the one qualification nobody else on either ticket has – She’s not part of the Washington crowd.
I’m somewhat less sanguine than Mark, but willing to be proven wrong. I think both candidates will do well tonight. Biden’s already been through more than a dozen of these in this cycle alone, and he hasn’t made a serious mistake in any of them. His gaffes come in less-guarded moments. Don’t expect anything but a competent and sharp performance from Biden.
Palin will do very well indeed, and again the low expectations from recent media coverage will make it look even better. I don’t expect her to top Biden, but she really doesn’t need to do that anyway. If she comes across as confident, assertive, honest, and engaged, she will do fine — and in this debate the tie would be seen as a huge win for Palin.
I’ll be at Trocadero’s tonight, at the party for AM 1280 The Patriot, and won’t be live-blogging. We will have a panel discussion before and after the debate, and I may try to broadcast through Ustream for the event. Let’s see how that works, but don’t miss the live chat room! Jazz Shaw of The Moderate Voice moderates the chat, and he does a great job riding herd on the conversation. Be sure to register at Ustream to participate in our raucous live-chat sessions. (And if the log-in prompt doesn’t come up in the chat box below, use this link instead.)
See you at the debate!
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“Climate change” – yuk. She’s having to carry more of McCain’s water.
MB4 on October 2, 2008 at 9:32 PM
What is this crap about CLIMATE CHANGE??
It’s a natural state. And dammit, they are global warmers.
tickleddragon on October 2, 2008 at 9:32 PM
She is doing good on Energy Independance.
phatphat on October 2, 2008 at 9:32 PM
Palin is controlling the debate and the follow-up direction… Biden is just ‘biden’ his time.
CC
CapedConservative on October 2, 2008 at 9:32 PM
Global Warming causes!?!?!
EasyEight on October 2, 2008 at 9:32 PM
she cant, john has decided its more important to stay friendly w/ his senator friends. bad move.
chasdal on October 2, 2008 at 9:32 PM
Good – Biden thinks climate change is all man’s fault
electric-rascal on October 2, 2008 at 9:32 PM
it is an amazing experience watching ‘conservatives’ watching palin. you wonder what the hell they are watching when they so stridently argue for her defense no matter the evidence.
palin is an embarassment. i started out excited, but everything that has happened since has made me lose enthusiasm to the point of just wanting her to go into the background and lets focus on mccain and obama. and i NEVER thought that would happen (REALLY not a mccain fan).
anyway, she is out of her league, no question. hopefully that will change with time, but she should still be back in alaska.
truecon on October 2, 2008 at 9:32 PM
F both of you on that topic.
tickleddragon on October 2, 2008 at 9:33 PM
I’m afraid EasyEight has it pegged correctly. Who was in charge of her debate prep? Bush advisers? Both McCain and Palin have let their opponents skate on accountability for the FNMA/FHLMC mess. This represents a serious missed opportunity.
Skull on October 2, 2008 at 9:33 PM
She’s changing the subject on almost every question. It makes it look like she came in with a specific set of points she wanted to make, regardless of anything Biden says or what the question is. It makes her look scatterbrained.
I do think her answer to the question on climate change was excellent, and the first thing Biden said is ludicrous–climate change is all man-made!
Athanasius on October 2, 2008 at 9:33 PM
Okay, I’ll go with it.
Look what’s at stake:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUEQz5dltmI
LET’S ROLL PEOPLE!
ex-Democrat on October 2, 2008 at 9:33 PM
Yeah Joe, “climate change” is “clearly” man made.
Doofus.
13Girl on October 2, 2008 at 9:33 PM
OK I don’t know if I can even watch this after the climate change question. Really weak answer that only made any sense at the end, the Biden spouts his unquestioned nonsense and of course gets away with it.
thecountofincognito on October 2, 2008 at 9:33 PM
CC i disagree, palin is too much on the defensive. of course the moderator’s bias is very evident but she is spending too much time justifying her positions and she needs to be attacking and exposing obama/biden
chasdal on October 2, 2008 at 9:33 PM
Palin should come back and suggest alternate energy best left to the private sector – I can dream I guess.
electric-rascal on October 2, 2008 at 9:33 PM
Thanks for the clarification of your viewpoint. Can we get back to what THEY think now?
tickleddragon on October 2, 2008 at 9:34 PM
Biden – “Climate Change”, the cause is man made. Even though the temps are now going down.
MB4 on October 2, 2008 at 9:34 PM
Did Biden just say Clean Coal? Flip Flop! dude
Nelsa on October 2, 2008 at 9:34 PM
Her answers are pushing the dials way up on CNN. Biden has had a few but she is clearly in front with the undecided voters there.
ejbentz on October 2, 2008 at 9:34 PM
CHALENGE HIM ON 10 YEARS TO GET NEW OIL!!!
electric-rascal on October 2, 2008 at 9:34 PM
Biden is a liar. Flat out liar.
WisCon on October 2, 2008 at 9:34 PM
Great. It takes 10 years to get oil so lets not drill at all. Brainless.
Blake on October 2, 2008 at 9:34 PM
*then Biden. Typos, ugh.
thecountofincognito on October 2, 2008 at 9:34 PM
Well, it’s a little transparent how Palin keeps coming back to energy at every opportunity, but there’s no denying she owns the issue.
Excellent point also about how American-produced oil will almost certainly pollute less than many other countries.
theregoestheneighborhood on October 2, 2008 at 9:34 PM
god, biden makes me ill
Priscilla on October 2, 2008 at 9:34 PM
PIPELINE
Ronnie on October 2, 2008 at 9:34 PM
Senator O’biden…..new nick for the gaffe master….rofl
ex-Democrat on October 2, 2008 at 9:35 PM
Kathleen Parker, that you?
TeeDee on October 2, 2008 at 9:35 PM
drill, baby, drill – gotta love it
tballard on October 2, 2008 at 9:35 PM
No, she’s been over handled and confined through some damn campaign communications policy. Stupid, stupid. They’ve forced her to stay on a playbook that is not gonna win this thing.
EasyEight on October 2, 2008 at 9:35 PM
now that was good!! she scored nicely on the ocs and the dems no drill anywhere policy.
chasdal on October 2, 2008 at 9:35 PM
We’re screwed – Palin says YES to carbon caps.
electric-rascal on October 2, 2008 at 9:35 PM
You watching Green Acres instead of the debate too?
CC
CapedConservative on October 2, 2008 at 9:36 PM
He called it WHAT???
Raping the intercontinental shelf???
I had to cough to stop myself from laughing my head off.
Ryan Gandy on October 2, 2008 at 9:36 PM
Palin should say McCain voted 20 times to nuke pork-filled legislation.
electric-rascal on October 2, 2008 at 9:36 PM
ahahaha she’s beating him up bad.
My record…..my..my record….my record
leetpriest on October 2, 2008 at 9:36 PM
Biden’s gaffes are mounting and he is getting POed. Great job Sarah.
Nelsa on October 2, 2008 at 9:36 PM
Why is Sarah Palin doing talking points from the campaign? Holy crap
Kat_Mo on October 2, 2008 at 9:37 PM
He says his clean coal comment was taken out of context… go get ‘im Sarah!
same sex marriage… no difference in the sexes says Joe.
SHOW ‘IM SARAH.
NightmareOnKStreet on October 2, 2008 at 9:37 PM
There is NOTHING in the Constitution about same-sex benefits….Joe you freakin’ moron.
ex-Democrat on October 2, 2008 at 9:37 PM
No, dammit, the Constitution should say absolutely NOTHING about marriage. Thanks, Biden, for demonstrating how ignorant you are.
Ryan Gandy on October 2, 2008 at 9:38 PM
Same sex marriage!?!?! Who cares!!! This is lame, the moderator should have been forced aside before this — she lets Biden ramble and cuts off Palin, and then focuses time on this issue?!?!
EasyEight on October 2, 2008 at 9:38 PM
Winning on points apparently counts for nothing, as the last debate showed. Undecided voters would rather vote for a polite but wrong guy than a combative but correct guy.
Speedwagon82 on October 2, 2008 at 9:38 PM
Will all those astroturfers present please raise their hand? Oh, never mind… your posts identify you.
CC
CapedConservative on October 2, 2008 at 9:38 PM
Is Biden getting the last word on every question, or is that just me?
ClintACK on October 2, 2008 at 9:39 PM
ex-Democrat on October 2, 2008 at 9:37 PM
No joke.
I like the fact that she’s heading off any possible definition of her as someone who wants to put guns to the heads of homosexuals and pull the trigger.
Ryan Gandy on October 2, 2008 at 9:39 PM
Well, she is doing well, but this debate isn’t going to change anything. It’s all the same stuff over and over. She could have gone after the CRA and Fannie and Franklin Raines and turned the election around. She didn’t.
WisCon on October 2, 2008 at 9:39 PM
CC
you need to open up and listen. he is sounding like he actually knows what he is talknig about, such as when he rebuted obama voting to tax 40k income, she let it slide when he referred to its as a procedural vote. it made him sound knowledgeable about things. its a bad format. limiting him to 90 seconds helps him. they needed a format to let ramble. she has sounded like she is grasping except for the offshore drilling answers.
chasdal on October 2, 2008 at 9:39 PM
Awful Ifill seems a little nervous. Sarah dodged her cute little trap on same sex
bill30097 on October 2, 2008 at 9:40 PM
he is getting the last word. thanks to the moderator. much love for him from her. but if mccain’s people had done their research they couldve stopped this long ago.
chasdal on October 2, 2008 at 9:41 PM
it’s by the moderator’s design but “Scranton” being “Scranton” that may not be a bonus by the end….
sven10077 on October 2, 2008 at 9:41 PM
Yep.
EasyEight on October 2, 2008 at 9:41 PM
I have to admit she is doing so much better than I had hoped for!
CCRWM on October 2, 2008 at 9:41 PM
Pardon me… Biden has 36 years in the Senate. Approaching as many years as Palin has been alive. He IS more knowledgeable than Palin on most of these subjects… it’s just that his answers and solutions are wrong.
CC
CapedConservative on October 2, 2008 at 9:41 PM
Remember McCain is a RINO. He may support CRA and she has to avoid the subject.
bill30097 on October 2, 2008 at 9:42 PM
I don’t blame Sarah for any of this, it is all McCain. He has totally ruined her.
ClassicCon on October 2, 2008 at 9:42 PM
Biden just lost any Democrat monopoly on the gay vote.
phatphat on October 2, 2008 at 9:42 PM
Is it me, or is Palin getting all the questions first and letting Biden give the answer?
Kat_Mo on October 2, 2008 at 9:42 PM
She is not actually answering the questions.
WisCon on October 2, 2008 at 9:42 PM
Biden is really starting to make me sick. Spinning the issue of funding the Iraq War.
Disgusting.
Ryan Gandy on October 2, 2008 at 9:43 PM
White flag of surrender?
Kat_Mo on October 2, 2008 at 9:43 PM
White flag! Yes!
tickleddragon on October 2, 2008 at 9:43 PM
Good dig – Obama/Biden = “White flag of surrender”
electric-rascal on October 2, 2008 at 9:43 PM
oh Biden just admitted that he and the one agree with Bush on the war.
leetpriest on October 2, 2008 at 9:43 PM
Sweet
mindhacker on October 2, 2008 at 9:43 PM
That was a knockout Sarah! White flag…
Nelsa on October 2, 2008 at 9:43 PM
White flag! LOL BOOM!
WisCon on October 2, 2008 at 9:43 PM
WHITE FLAG OF SURRENDER!
okay….I’m happy….don’t care what else happens.
Barack and O’Biden are FREAKIN’ french.
Let’s roll!
ex-Democrat on October 2, 2008 at 9:43 PM
Good move: Feeding Biden’s own words back on him!
electric-rascal on October 2, 2008 at 9:44 PM
Oh she metioned his son…
Kat_Mo on October 2, 2008 at 9:44 PM
Joe’s going to blow! Wait for it…..hahahaha
ex-Democrat on October 2, 2008 at 9:44 PM
What is wrong with that man’s EYES?? Is he supposed to be Asian?
tickleddragon on October 2, 2008 at 9:44 PM
Joe Biden got MRAPs?
Kat_Mo on October 2, 2008 at 9:44 PM
Somebody call 911 and get Biden some bandages….
CC
CapedConservative on October 2, 2008 at 9:44 PM
If Joe Biden is trying to convince anyone that McCain doesn’t want to fund the troops, I think he’s lost it.
Ronnie on October 2, 2008 at 9:45 PM
Notice how, whenever Sarah lands a good shot, Joe the Mouth flashes his big s**t eatin’ grin?
SunSword on October 2, 2008 at 9:45 PM
no, biden is a friggin idiot. there is no issue in his 36 years of any signifigance that he has been right on. he started out in the senate voting against the alaska pipeline and was on the wrong side of the cold war, wrong on gulf war 1 and irag war. of course as i am pointing out he is getting lots of help from the moderator.
and now she had better hammer him on this crap about mccain voting against the war.
chasdal on October 2, 2008 at 9:45 PM
Where does Biden get this crap about McCain cutting off funding???
Steve Z on October 2, 2008 at 9:45 PM
Didn’t Biden vote for the Iraq war?
WisCon on October 2, 2008 at 9:46 PM
WisCon = troll
Please do not feed the (astroturfin’) troll….
…. /zookeeper
ex-Democrat on October 2, 2008 at 9:46 PM
God love ya CHUCK!! Biden’s blood pressure is rising fast. I hope he blows.
Nelsa on October 2, 2008 at 9:46 PM
she got him annoyed
jaboba on October 2, 2008 at 9:46 PM
Biden is right about Iran here, but what does he do about it?
Steve Z on October 2, 2008 at 9:46 PM
Ask him why he wanted to give Iran 200 million dollars.
Blake on October 2, 2008 at 9:46 PM
Never said he was right… said he had 36 years and knew more of the history than Palin. That’s true. Palin just knows better what to do about it than he does.
CC
CapedConservative on October 2, 2008 at 9:46 PM
That means he’s about to blow….his coaching was:
“Plugs, when you start getting angry….smile.”
ex-Democrat on October 2, 2008 at 9:47 PM
I love it. They didn’t want to go into Iraq to establish a democracy. But, they want to go into Pakistan. Smart.
Blake on October 2, 2008 at 9:47 PM
OMG QUOTE OF THE DAY!
Biden:”And we will go after him if we have actual intelligence”
Ronnie on October 2, 2008 at 9:47 PM
So Obama wants to invade PAkistan and Biden wants to build them schools…
Nelsa on October 2, 2008 at 9:47 PM
Kat_Mo on October 2, 2008 at 9:44 PM
Biden is stupid if he thinks McCain’s decision regarding MRAP’s is anywhere near equivalent to a permanent foreign policy viewpoint.
Ryan Gandy on October 2, 2008 at 9:47 PM
Get ready for a Bidism!
huckleberryfriend on October 2, 2008 at 9:47 PM
Yeah, I’m that conservative/libertarian troll who’s been here since Day 1…
Idiot.
WisCon on October 2, 2008 at 9:47 PM
I just ignore the trolls and the astroturfers…
CCRWM on October 2, 2008 at 9:48 PM
This is not working out so well. Biden is able to attack (McCain) and Sarah has to defend (McCain). If it was Biden v. Palin for President rather than for VP, Palin would be able to attack and Biden would have to defend.
MB4 on October 2, 2008 at 9:48 PM
Biden’s answer to Pakistan is to build schools in Bin Laden’s neighborhood? What a dork.
FloatingRock on October 2, 2008 at 9:48 PM
Good – Sarah nailing Obama on meeting with others -w- no preconditions!
electric-rascal on October 2, 2008 at 9:48 PM
DANGEROUS!
Gawd, that sounds great coming from a hot woman.
She’s basically de-masculated the metrosexual freak.
hahahahha
ex-Democrat on October 2, 2008 at 9:49 PM
that would be great! but i think she is focusing on obama which is really her job. attacking biden isnt as good for the campaign as attacking obama
chasdal on October 2, 2008 at 9:49 PM
Iran may not have a nuke but they can get one from the Russians I bet. Iran has come right out and said it wants to destroy Israel.
mindhacker on October 2, 2008 at 9:49 PM
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